Carpenter Library joins the Sunshine State Digital Network
The University of North Florida’s Thomas G. Carpenter Library recently joined the Sunshine State Digital Network (SSDN). The SSDN showcases Florida’s rich cultural heritage collections to a worldwide audience in coordination with the Digital Public Library of America.UNF joins Florida State University, Florida Atlantic University, University of South Florida, Florida State College at Jacksonville and other cultural heritage organizations, museums, and libraries from around the state who contribute to this exciting collaboration. Over time, UNF will share approximately 20,000 records with SSDN, including items from the library’s Eartha M.M. White Collection.
The Carpenter Library’s digital collections will begin by sharing items from nine collections ranging in variety from yearbooks and historical letters to oral histories and student newspapers.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with the Sunshine State Digital Network to enhance the discoverability of digitized primary source materials through the Digital Public Library of America, said Courtenay McLeland, Carpenter Library head of digital projects and preservation. “Of particular interest to researchers will be the Eartha M.M. White Collection and images by photographer R. Lee Thomas. We look forward to expanding the content shared through this platform.”
A notable highlight from UNF’s first harvest is the Eartha M.M. White Collection. Eartha Mary Magdalene White, a prominent African American resident of Jacksonville, Florida, was widely known for her humanitarian and philanthropic endeavors in northeast Florida. The collection contains more than one thousand items, including her personal papers, letters, documents, notes, and other memorabilia. It is a valuable contribution to the diverse collections shared from Florida institutions to the DPLA and highlights important regional history.
UNF will also share materials from the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Collection. This collection includes handwritten and typed manuscripts and correspondence written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The collection was given in honor of UNF President Emeritus John A. Delaney and transferred to the Carpenter Library Special Collections in May of 2018.